20 Healthy Foods That Are Actually Really Bad for You

Cheryl Brite April 20th 2016 Health

You think you’ve been eating healthy, well think again. Next time you think about putting something into your body, ask yourself if what you’re eating is really good for you. There are foods out there that you should really avoid if you want to stay healthy. Put your health first and avoid these foods at all costs, as some of these can raise the risk of heart disease, cancer, stroke, diabetes, and other diseases. Beware the unhealthy foods! #18 will SHOCK you!

1. Veggie Patties

They're called veggie patties. How can they possibly be bad for you? Are they really veggie patties or processed and frozen patties with questionable ingredients? Check the ingredients on the patties to make sure they are legit because most of these burgers are made with processed soy instead of vegetables. Vegetables should be listed first on the ingredient list. You might as well be having a fake patty if you don’t bother to check the label to see what you’re really putting into your body.

Hexane is an ingredient that has been found in a soy burger that is unhealthy for you as well as the planet. This substance is involved with the excess of the ozone and is a dangerous air pollutant. It can lead to nerve problems that can give you pain, numbness, muscle problems, and digestive issues. Look for the USDA's organic seal on your veggie patties in brands like Helen's Kitchen and Wildwood for veggie burgers that are hexane free. Its excess in sodium (400 mg/patty), over processed ingredients, and toxins makes this food hazardous to your health. High blood pressure and kidney disease are just some of the health conditions you can get from this burger.

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2. Packaged Turkey

It’s delicious meat for your sandwich, right? It looks harmless to you. Well there’s a reason for its taste and it lies within the sodium. Did you know that two ounces of this lunchmeat contains as much as 1/3 of your recommended limit? That’s a lot of sodium that goes into your body so avoid this unhealthy food by at least buying a low sodium turkey or roast and slice your own turkey. Your body will be a lot happier you did.

Processed meat like packaged turkey has been linked to premature death. Eating more than 160 grams of this turkey could potentially lead to cardiovascular disease and cancer. Its saturated fat raises your blood cholesterol, and its sodium nitrate is bad for your heart. Turn to healthier options in your sandwich besides packaged turkey. Foods like tuna, salmon, hummus, veggies, and fresh poultry are some of the more healthier options. Packaged turkey should be a thing of the past.

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3. Energy Bars

They keep you going during your workouts at the gym but what are they really doing to your body? On the outside they look pretty harmless. It’s a bar full of processed chemicals on the inside. You were so hoping that this food was healthy. If you must have your energy bar, you should pick one that is less than 200 calories, 20 grams of sugar, and one with the least amount of ingredients. Also, look for an organic energy bar so you know what you're eating is all natural.

Clif is one energy bar you should never have because it has teaspoons of sugar on one bar, and it's empty calories. Green Superfood Berry Whole Foods Energy Bar is another bar you should stay away from because of it 26 grams of fructose as well as sugar that will make you hungry for other unhealthy foods. These bars are essentially candy bars. In order to select the right energy bar you have to look for bars that are for fueling your body for exercise, replace your meals, and are healthy for you. Power Bar Performance, Nature's Best & Bear Valley Bars, and Larabar are the energy bars you are looking for to stay healthy. Energy bars can trick you by saying "fat free" or "all natural" on the label but in reality they're are filled with harmful chemicals that are bad for your health so find out what ingredients are good for you and select an energy bar that will work for you and not against you.

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4. Bran Muffins

Who finds this appealing in the first place? Bran is healthy all by itself but when you add it into a muffin, it becomes unhealthy because of the sugar, flour, and fat baked into the muffin. Did you know that a bran muffin has the ability to have even more calories than a donut depending on its size? When you look at the muffin you don’t think much of it but looks can be deceiving. If you're determined to stick with the bran muffin, there is a solution. To make a healthier muffin make them and replace flour with whole wheat flour and replace butter with applesauce.

At bakeries bran muffins are made bigger in size and can be as high as 350 calories per muffin or even 600 calories. Have this muffin in moderation if you can't see yourself giving it up. They're extremely high in fat that can put you at risk for diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure. You're eating sugar, flour, saturated oils, corn syrup, and other unnatural ingredients. The corn syrup can lead to anemia, high cholesterol, and heart disease. You're best option is to make bran muffins from scratch and if you don't want to do this, then you have to give up the bran muffin for the sake of your health.

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5. Multi-grain Bread

You love bread. You thought that just because multi-grain was in front of the word bread that it was a healthy substitute for the other unhealthy breads out there but boy were you wrong. In reality this bread could be mislabeled and contain refined grains, which lack the fiber of whole grains, resulting in a blood sugar spike after you eat this bread that can lead to cravings. This is not a good habit to get into because if you give into your cravings, then you gain weight. Look at your labels, this cannot be stressed enough. If you see the word “bleached” on multi-grain bread, walk away and never look back.

It's like any other bread in the fact that it has carbs. The bread could be dyed to look like multi-grain bread but really it contains white flour and no fiber. Make sure when you're looking for real multi-grain bread, that the label says "whole grain" because it is the healthier choice. Ezekiel bread, pitas, cereal, and pasta are health alternatives to this bread. This bread may have all the grains in the world but if it the grains have been refined and the bran and germ of the grain have been taken out, you are not getting the right nutrients. Whole wheat bread is a better alternative to losing weight and building muscle then multi-grain because its nutritional value is healthier.

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6. Flavored Instant Oatmeal

The word instant should give you a clue. The flavored packets are full of more sugar and sodium than the regular oat. The chemicals in the packet is enough to kill your health. Your only solution is to buy regular oatmeal and add fruit or honey to your bowl of oats. You'll be better off in the long run. Or you could just not eat oatmeal all together.

The additives inside the flavored packets make the flavor what it is when you add it to the oats. The high content of salt as well as the artificial coloring is another ingredient that can contribute to high cholesterol. Oatmeal unflavored is healthier for you. Only when you add things like sugar, and milk does this breakfast become more like a dessert. The high glycemic index of instant oats is 83 and this is especially worrisome to diabetics and people with low blood sugar. To have healthier oatmeal you need to soak your oats, add oat and/or wheat flour, combine with good protein, and add spices or fresh fruit.

7. Reduced Fat Peanut Butter

You're happy to see reduced fat peanut butter when you go shopping. You figure it's much healthier than the original. Reduced fat does not mean a thing. These words are misleading. It’s actually very close in calories to regular peanut butter. The slight difference is that reduced fat peanut butter adds sugar to make up for the lack of fat, so you’re better off with sticking to the regular 1-2 tablespoons per serving of peanut butter.

You may think it's a great source of protein, but it has twice as more fat then it has protein. Have it in its most natural form and in moderation if you feel you can't give it up completely. Your body fat will increase if you're not aware of how much peanut butter you are ingesting. Smuckers organic is an ideal choice for your nutritional plan because it just has peanuts and salt. Its soybean oil and high sugar make this food hazardous to your health. Peanut butter is susceptible to aflatoxins and are the most contaminated food as a crop and when you have large amounts of this toxin, it is associated with high blood levels and stunted growth in children.

8. Couscous

You love to have it vegetables and a delicious protein. It looks pretty harmless to you. It’s not what it seems at all. Couscous is nothing but tiny looking pasta with refined grains. The best option is to look for whole-wheat couscous or switch to quinoa, a healthier whole grain. Well, so much for being an exotic looking dish?

It's high in carbohydrates and if you're not much of an active person, the couscous will just settle in your stomach and cause weight gain. Farro, brown rice, bulgur, and amaranth are just some of the ingredients that couscous lacks in order to make it a healthy food. If you don't portion out this food, you calorie intake may be higher then it should be. It's glycemic index is higher then most whole grains at 65. This can negatively effect diabetics maintaining their blood sugar levels. You can still have couscous in moderation, but you need another ingredient that has some whole grains so you get the nutrients that your body needs.

9. Sushi

Sushi looks harmless to the human eye. It appears to be fresh food with fresh, healthy ingredients rolled up in one. In reality a California roll equals eating two sandwiches with imitation crab inside the bread. Wow, that’s unbelievable! It may look pretty harmless, but sushi definitely packs a wallop when it comes to the ingredients wrapped in its evil clutches. To save yourself have sushi wrapped in cucumber and go easy on the rice.

Sushi is high in calories, salt, sugar, low in fiber, protein and vitamins. When it is eaten in large quantities, it has hazardous effects on the growth of the fetus and babies. It can range from 290 to 350 calories, and the white rice is the majority of the dish and along with soy sauce you not only increase your carb consumption but your salt intake as well. So don't have more than four portions per week. The tuna inside your sushi roll has mercury that can effect the kidneys as well as the nervous system. Viruses and bacteria are likely when the fish isn't cleaned or prepared properly.

10. Rice Crackers

This is the epitome of foods that look harmless to the eye. What can they possibly do to effect your health? They lack fiber, and this food apparently has a lot of sodium. Wow, who saw that coming? It also is high on carbohydrates, which changes the balance in your gut, causing inflammation. So think twice before toy buy rice crackers.

A whole wheat cracker is healthier then this rice cracker. During the process of making the rice for the cracker, the nutrients in the rice are stripped away. Salt, sugar, and chili paste are just some of the ingredients added to this cracker to give it taste. If there's hydrated oil in your bag of rice crackers, then you know you should stay away from them. The good news is that they're low in calories. If you eat them in moderation, you should be ok.

11. Rice Milk

You drink it, use it in your cereal, and other meals. It looks harmful at first glance so what makes rice milk so unhealthy? You better have fortified rice milk or else this food is just plain unhealthy. You might as well be consuming the fluid from rice that is high in carbohydrates and low in protein. Your best option is to switch out this milk for soymilk or fat free organic milk. Again, read the label on your milk to understand the health risks of selecting rice milk.

Rice milk has polysaturated vegetable oils that has something to do to the imbalance of fatty acids in the body. It is also a major cause of cardiovascular disease. Rice syrup and evaporated cane juice are ingredients within some rice milks that effect the pancreas and liver. Your insulin levels can increase to dangerous levels. Weight gain, high blood pressure, heart disease, and premature aging are some of the risks to having rice milk. You're better off turning to more healthy choices like miso, tempeh, and natto fermented soy foods.

12. Trail Mix

Raisins, nuts, candy, and pretzels oh my! There are many combinations of trail mix to choose from. Store bought trail mix is not the best option for your snacking needs. The typical add-ons to the trail mix are not healthy like banana chips and yogurt covered raisins. Make your own healthy choices when it comes to creating your own trail mix. In the end your body will thank you.

People on the go and live most of their life outdoors love this snack because it's light, portable, and blocks hunger. At the same time it's not so good for you because it has a lot of sugar, oils, and preservatives. It started with ingredients that were healthy for the heart like dried fruits, granola, and nuts, but it has now become a mix that is high in calories. They have added more unhealthy ingredients to the mix. Salty nuts, sugared fruits, and chocolate make this snack more like a dessert. In the long run the chemicals in the trail mix could lead to high cholesterol, diabetes, and so many more detrimental health conditions.

13. Pretzels

It's another snack food that doesn't seem harmful. This snack food is far from healthy. Although it seems healthier than chips, it’s ingredients, white flour, fiber, yeast, sea salt, and possibly vegetable oil or corn syrup make this snack food devoid of any nutriton whatsoever. It doesn’t look like much to the human eye, but these ingredients can do some real damage to your body if you don’t replace it with a healthier option like soy crisps and popcorn. Another healthier option is to buy pretzels with no salt on them. You’re disappointed, but you’ll be healthier in the long run.

They're high in sodium, saturated fat, and calories. The salt's serving and fat alone are enough to bring up your cholesterol as well as your weight. Pretzels don't give you the energy boosting protein you need to get through the day. Because it is a snack that doesn't fill your stomach, you are more likely to eat more than you should. Any food in excess is bad for you. In moderation and with no salt, this food will still not be healthy but you can have a little bit and not worry too much.

14. Spinach Wraps and Pasta

You didn’t like spinach and pasta anyway. They're carbs and if you eat them in excess, you will gain weight. It turns out that not much spinach is added to any of these dishes. How disappointing? Choose whole wheat wraps instead and add spinach leaves to this dish as a health alternative. You’ll be much better off.

They only add decoration to your meal. You think they're healthy because the food says it has spinach in it, but that is far from the truth. These artificial spinach foods lack the nutrition of real spinach. Spinach leaves contain B vitamins, fiber, iron, and calcium. If there is no whole grain in the wraps as well as the pasta, you shouldn't even bother with these foods. Putting carbs with vegetables is never a good idea unless you know they will work for your health and not against it.

15. Banana Chips

It’s a fruit. No problem, right? These chips are fried and have more calories than a regular banana. The frying component of this food has a lot of hazardous chemicals that can potentially make you diabetic, develop heart disease, and cancer. The solution seems simple here. Don’t waste your time with these fruit chips and buy a bundle of bananas.

The preparation of these chips differs in just eating a raw banana. Banana chips contain saturated fat, and the potassium and fiber within a banana is destroyed once it's fried. Its saturated fats increase your cholesterol and make sure you make it an occasional snack, so you're not at risk for serious medical conditions in your future. Its high calories can range anywhere from 265 to 441, depending on how they are made. It also contains fiber and potassium that you should have in moderation. Don't have them more than once or twice a month, if you love them so much.

16. Baked Beans

The word baked means nothing. Beans are healthy. Baked beans are not. It’s a high calorie food dripped in sugar, syrup, molasses, and pinto that can give a person diabetes. The serving of sodium is through the roof and can lead to high cholesterol. Eat regular pinto beans and your body will thank you.

Store bought baked beans are far from healthy. The amount of sugar in one can is more than the 25% of the total carbohydrate intake that your body requires. Regular beans have the fiber and protein you need. The baked beans added fat will only make you gain weight in your stomach. If you eat them in moderation, you will unlikely gain weight. These beans are fattening if you don't eat them with foods that are fewer in calories.

17. Bottle Green Tea

Green Tea is typically good for you, right? It burns the fat in your body, so you can lose weight. Not bottled green tea because it contains some ingredients that are missing like an antioxidant that prevents cancer and weight loss. You can have the occasional bottled green tea but if you’re trying to lessen your chance of getting conditions like cancer and osteoporosis, you better make your own tea. It’s all most always better to make your own food. You'll live a much healthier lifestyle if you do.

The sugar and other additives in this drink have more health effects than regular green tea. Check the ingredient list on the back of your bottle to determine what exactly you are putting into your body. Water, high fructose corn syrup, citric acid, green tea, sodium hexametaphosate, ascorbic acid are just some of the ingredient in a bottle of green tea you need to stay away from. When you don't know what most of the ingredients are on the label, it's most likely unhealthy for you. It causes obesity because of its high fructose corn syrup as well as diabetes. You're better off sticking to green tea because of all the nutrients and health benefits it can offer you in the long run.

18. Chicken

You love it fried, baked, and a part of your daily meal. It all depends on how the chicken is raised in order to determine if its healthy. Genetically modified feed and antibiotics have been shown to be harmful in animal studies. Some chickens can contain high levels of arsenic. Your solution is to select organic pasture-raised chicken instead of the harmful, genetically modified chicken. Know what chicken you're about to eat before you eat it.

When chicken is fried, the chemicals contain so much fat that you're are likely to develop diabetes and heart disease if you eat it in excess. Some viruses occur in chickens that can spread to humans if they eat the infected chicken. Cancerous tumors are possible for people to develop because of ingesting hazardous chicken. Salmonella is a serious thing when the bugs infect the chickens. After you handle chickens, it's important to wash your hands so you don't spread the infection. How professionals handle your chicken can determine the outcome of your health.

19. Store Bought Salad Dressing

It goes perfectly with your salad. The sugar contained in store bought dressing takes away vitamin C, decreases immunity, and creates an obstacle for calcium and magnesium by blocking these important ingredients. If it was not obvious, you’ll also gain weight from this dressing. You can use salad dressing in moderation. You’re only hope for healthy salvation is to make your own dressing. Use organic and healthy ingredients to make your dressing nutritious for your salad.

The trans fats are deadly in the dressing as well as on your salad. It also has sugar that if you have this salad dressing in excess, you are more likely to develop diabetes. Canola, corn oil, sunflower oil, soy oil, cottonseed oil, and vegetable oil are some of the ingredients in the dressing that are far from healthy. How the oils are prepared make the salad dressing a hazard to your health. Store bought salad dressing prevents your body from absorbing all the good fats that you require like cholesterol, vitamin A, E, and K. You need nutrients like lecithin, phospholipids, and choline in order to be healthy and store bought salad dressing doesn't give you these nutrients.

20. Flavored Coffee Creamer

It's the best thing you've ever had in your coffee. Some creamers don’t include actual dairy. What, how is this possible? Ingredients like partially hydrogenated vegetable oil, corn syrup, sugar, and other artificial flavors make this creamer extremely unhealthy. Real cream is the smart way to go for your coffee. Adding a few drops of Stevia wouldn’t hurt either.

The people who make your creamer may be misleading you. When it says 0 grams of trans fat, they're just putting that on the label because they know this is what consumers want to hear. Its trans fat increases the level of LDL cholesterol in your body. It also increases blood pressure, causing your heart to beat faster then it needs to. Replace your coffee creamer with alternative healthy choices like soy milk, almond milk, half and half, Lucerne sugar, coconut milk powder, and organic choices. They may not seem appetizing, but you'll be healthy and in the end that's all that matters.